***for full gig listings jump to the bottom***

Greetings:

Cambodia is continuing to attract touring acts as we thunder through high season.  This week from Japan comes Darthreider & The Bassons (see Passing Chords below) for shows at Laundry in Siem Reap on Thursday and Oscar’s on the Corner in Phnom Penh on Saturday night.   A pair of Indian musicians, Arnab Bhattacharya & Nilimesh Chakraborty are in Phnom Penh for performances at Meta House on Friday, Sundance on Saturday and Back Street Bar on Sunday, before heading to Siem Reap for a show next Thursday at Laundry.  American reggae artist Jimi Watusi plays at Little Susie on Friday night, heads to Kep Natural for Saturday night, and then is back in Phnom Penh at The Deck on Sunday.

Also on Thursday night in Phnom Penh find Aisha & Serdar at Little Susie, Mirasol, James & Jedil at Samai Rum Distillery and The Extraordinary Chambers at Oscar’s on the Corner.  In Kampot, Kelly & Carlos are at Ariart.

Friday night in Phnom Penh sees Muxu at Craft, Green Leaf Motif at Botanico and Loopy Reggae Duo at The Box Office.  For those who like it louder, Cloud presents Cambodian Metal Showcase: Underground Madness featuring Doch Chkae, Cartoon & After God, while Oscar’s on the Corner hosts the long-awaited return of Bob Passion & The Indispensables.  In Siem Reap, Pete Foerster & Mr Zee are at The Mended Drum.

Saturday night in Phnom Penh Sinville Roadshow are early at The Deck, while Ice is at Botanico,  Daro Bin is at Cloud and Loopy Reggae Duo are at Noisy Chili.  At Little Susie, Coz Collective recreates Simon & Garfunkel’s Concert in Central Park and Thai Kitchen celebrate their 3rd year anniversary with Alli G Rockustic.  Check out the theatrical math rock extravaganza (see our feature interview) of Absolute Zero at Copacabana.  In Kampot Beyer is at Kampot Lane, and in Siem Reap, The Handsome Devils play one last show in tribute to their fallen comrade Brian (Brin) Wood at Laundry.

On Sunday Phil Javelle is at Villa Grange, Gareth Bawden is at The Vine, and Scott Bywater hosts the Sunday Sundowners open mic at Tacos Kokopelli; later on the Electric Muxu Orchestra are back at Oscar’s on the Corner.  In Siem Reap, Euan Gray Trio play at New Leaf and you can choose between the No pros open mic at Pomme and the Sunday Shack open mic with PMAC at The Mended Drum.

Some longtimers may remember Roxanne Dumont, singer and guitar player who stormed Phnom Penh some years ago – she has a new band, Roshani, who have just released a new music video that you can watch here.

The Leng Pleng Feature Interview

Bring your attention span: the adventures of Absolute Zero

Coming to Copacabana on Saturday night is Samsara: a short history of humanity and the unremarkable life of Lila Ember, an extended musican/theatrical experience constructed and performed by trio Absolute Zero (or AbZro or Abs_lute Zro if you prefer).  LengPleng sat down with Lewis McTighe (guitar and lots of pedals) and Jesse Ricketson (drums and electronic paraphernalia) to channel their enthusiasm and excitement into words.

Lewis: We’re very excited about it, for sure.

Jesse:  There are a lot of different elements to it.  For me it’s an interesting creative challenge, because there’s a lot of electronic stuff – synths, drum machines, building soundscapes with samples of animals or street noises.  And the drumming is still in there, but it’s pushed me to learn new skills, which has been really satisfying.

Read the full article here

Passing Chords – a few things you may not know about

Darthreider (centre) was born in Paris, grew up in London and Japan.  As a hip hop MC he played an important role in changing the non-dancing law in Japan, and has toured through Europe promoting Japanese club culture.  This week Darthreider & the Bassons (Koji Ota on drums and Daisaku Katsuhara on bass) play in Siem Reap at Laundry on Thursday and at Oscar’s on the Corner on Saturday.

Do you have a pet musical hate?
Not really

A private musical indulgence:
Always looking for music not on stream

The year you first came to Cambodia:
2024!

An early music memory:
Ray Parker Jr’s Ghostbusters Theme was the first music I asked my parents to buy, and then The Beatles.  The first album I bought myself is Michael Jackson’s Dangerous.

The last thing you had to eat:
Curry rice

A country you want to visit:
Brazil, Spain

A book or movie you keep going back to:
The Thing by John Carpenter

What languages do you have?
Japanese.  English at the level of a ten year old

Your primary instrument, and when you started playing it:
I’ve been using my microphone since 1997

Something people might be surprised to know about you:
Got a brainstroke and lost my left eye vision – so I wear an eyepatch.  Also I have kidney problems and the doctor said I’ll be dead by 45.   Now I’m 46!

You have a time machine and a magic ticket to one gig or festival in the past. What do you choose?
Woodstock in 1969, especially Santana and Sly and the Family Stone

A question from the last participant – Why do you think we exist?
The “why” part is the basis of us, human being. Cats and birds and trees have no whys, so the question itself explains that we exist as human beings.

Department of Mutual Support:  Friends of LengPleng

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being a Friend of LengPleng gets your logo into the weekly email and onto the weekly wrap page and an automatically click through to a page on our website for further information, photos, videos and so on.   We also pay special attention when you have a good story for us – an upcoming event or an artist you wish to highlight.   Email gigs@lengpleng.com for further details or bail up Scoddy wherever you see him.

Musicians: they’re just like us

 

Lewis replaces paper in the printer.

Steve Porte Photo of the Week

Oscar blends hi-vis with higher education, leading the rejuvenated Oscar Band at Oscar’s on the Corner, Friday 9 February, 2024

 

If you wish to receive LengPleng in your inbox every Thursday please send a subscribe email to gigs@lengpleng.com.

Musicians, venues, punters:  if there are things you know that LengPleng should know, please tell us and we’ll do our best to tell the world.

See you around the traps.
your correspondent,

 

 

Guillermo Wheremount
LengPleng.com
gigs@lengpleng.com (mailto:gigs@lengpleng.com)


Weekly Gig Guide – week commencing Thursday 15 February 2024

** residency/weekly

For DJs and clubs, we recommend Phnom Penh Underground

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

*Note that Wednesday events are often not announced until early in the week – check back here for updates*

Coming soon:

  • Stu Cottom, 6 pm, 22 February, Villa Grange
  • Classical piano recital by James & David Atkinson, 7 pm, 22 January, Bellini
  • Arnab Bhattacharya & Nilimesh Chakraborty, 9 pm, 22 February, Laundry (Siem Reap)
  • Arome Khmer, 6.30 pm, 23 February, Craft
  • Loopy Reggae Duo, 7 pm, 23 February, The Box Office
  • Bob Passion & the Indispensables, 7 pm, 23 February, Kep Natural (Kep)
  • Lewis McTighe, 5 pm, 24 February, The Deck
  • Boat cruise with Penh Pals and The Broken Cymbal, 6 pm, 24 February, Tacos Kokopelli – tickets $7.50
  • Sinville Roadshow, 6.30 pm, 24 February, Craft
  • Green Leaf Motif, 7 pm, 24 February, Seekers Spirits
  • Mirasol & James, 7 pm, 24 February, Le Moon
  • Ex-Pulse, 7 pm, 24 February, The Waterside
  • Silver & Taylor, 7.30 pm, 24 February, Au Marche
  • Loopy Reggae Duo, 8 pm, 24 February, Little Susie
  • Bangarang (Japan), 9 pm, 24 February, Laundry
  • Dua Lipa & the Dua Lipas, 9 pm, 24 February, Duplex
  • Craft beer festival with Summer Lee Carlson & Mute Speaker, 6 pm, 24 February, Monkey Republic (Kampot)
  • Miss Sarawan & Scoddy, 2.30 pm, 25 February, Villa Grange
  • The Originals Session, 8 pm, 25 February, Back Street Bar
  • David Zdriluk, 6 pm, 29 February, Villa Grange
By Weekly Wrap